1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to cutting of vegetation using a flexible, nonmetallic cutting line extending from a rotating head, and in particular to such an apparatus having an attachment for use as an edger.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A flexible line trimmer has a rotating head that is driven by an electrical or gasoline motor. The head includes a housing which has an aperture at its periphery. A spool is located in housing containing a supply of coiled monofilament, nonmetallic line. The line extends out the aperture into a cutting plane for trimming the vegetation.
Line trimmers of this type are most frequently used for trimming grass around trees, fences and buildings. Normally, the trimmer is held upright, with the line generally horizontal.
Line trimmers of this type can also be used to edge. When edging, the line trimmer head is rotated 90 degrees, so that the line is vertical. The line extends between the grass and the edge of a sidewalk, curb or driveway when used in this position.
It is somewhat cumbersome to use the device as an edger because the device is normally constructed to be used with the line in basically a horizontal plane. It is hard to maintain the head the same distance above the ground and in a straight line while the line is oriented vertically.
Conventional edgers using a rigid blade have a wheel that supports the edger above the ground at a fixed distance. There have been proposals to use a wheel in conjunction with a line trimmer to support the trimmer in a position with its line vertical for edging. These proposals have various deficiencies.